The paradox of waste in times of need
We live in an age of profound contradictions. Despite technological advances, logistical progress and abundance of resources in many sectors, a significant part of the population remains without guaranteed access to a decent diet. In Spain, it is estimated that about 10% of the population suffers from food insecurity, a situation that directly affects the health, dignity and vital opportunities of those who suffer from it.
At the same time, the food chain generates, daily, tons of surpluses perfectly suitable for human consumption that are not used. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, it is estimated that in our country a third of the food produced is wasted, with an enormous cost not only ethical, but also environmental: each kilo wasted is also water, energy and wasted emissions.
Faced with this reality, the redistribution of the food surplus appears as an urgent solution. But it is not an easy path: it implies challenges of food security, traceability, delivery times, logistics coordination, health regulation and, above all, trust between very different actors.
technology at the service of the common good
In this scenario of complexity, the proposal naria, a technological platform developed in Castellón (Spain) that allows channeling surplus food through a system based on blockchain to social entities and food banks. Its differential value lies in something simple, but critical: the complete and verifiable traceability of each donation.
The blockchain is a decentralized and immutable digital record, which means that all parties involved — from the one who donates to the receiver — can access the same information, in real time, with the certainty that it has not been modified or manipulated. This approach brings transparency, reliability and efficiency, and it does so by eliminating the traditional bottlenecks associated with bureaucracy, health fears or lack of coordination. Naria’s mission is not only to reduce waste, but to digitize the social aid sector and reconfigure the food system in the key of justice and efficiency.
When engagement finds a way
“When we thought about digitizing food aid, we imagined supermarkets, logistics platforms or soup kitchens. What was not so clear was whether the world of catering —so tied to immediacy, impeccable image and diner experience— could join this transformation. Gourmet Catering & events It was, for us, the first response to that unknown,” says Nacho Latre, director of communication at Naria.
“Your decision to implement our system in 2023 opened the door to unknown and tremendously challenging ground. Catering does not work as traditional food distribution: there are no long-term forecasts and margins of error here. Everything moves in a matter of minutes, with protocols strict and a rhythm that does not admit distractions. It was legitimate to wonder: could a model of traceability and donation fit into such a demanding gear?”
“Gourmet Catering & Events showed us yes, with involvement and responsibility,” continues Latre. “With more than 2,500 services per year and 360,000 diners, it was the perfect example to test how far our technology could go without interfering in the operation. From our collaboration, what we have really learned is that the impact is not measured only in technology or In tons rescued, but in what happens later, when those foods come into the hands of those who need them.The real value of each donated ration is in the tranquility that food comes to good hands, in the capacity of a social organization to serve more people without overflowing their resources, in that silent network of trust that is woven between those who produce, those who distribute and those who help.”
The actual value of each serving
Each recovered food is a small link that connects the world of gastronomy with that of social help, demonstrating that excellence does not end when the last dish is removed, but when that surplus finds a new purpose.
In 2025, thanks to this collaboration, 4,378 kg of food were donated, which translated into 10,424 servings and 10,945 kg of CO₂ avoided. Since the start of the project in 2023, 11,301 kg of food have been recovered, distributed in 26,908 rations and avoiding 28,253 kg of CO₂. Most of these rations (97.4%) have reached the Valencia Food Bank, while the Segura Food Bank (2.5%) and the Fundación Ayuda a Familia (0.1%) joined the donation network in 2025, demonstrating the tangible and growing collaboration.
This experience confirms that the combination of commitment, technology and social responsibility can generate a lasting and meaningful effect on the lives of those who need it most.
The Magnus project and the documentary Valencia, the city that feeds a sustainable change
In addition to the donation system launched in 2023, Gourmet Catering & events actively participate in the Magnus Project, an initiative promoted together with the CEMAS, the Congress Center of Valencia, the Lluís Alcanyís Foundation – University of Valencia, the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (Ivia) and naria, which aims to measure, reduce and raise awareness of the Food waste at MICE sector events (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions).
This project analyzes the surplus of food at congresses and events held at the Palacio de Congresos de Valencia, identifying the causes and promoting good practices that allow a more sustainable and responsible organization.
In this framework, the documentary has been presented “València, the city that feeds a sustainable change”, an audiovisual piece that values the role of the city in the transformation of food systems and in the fight against waste. The documentary highlights how the Collaboration between administrations, companies and research centers It is key to moving towards a fairer and more efficient food model
You can see the documentary here: